Restraining device.



PATENTEDJULY 24, 1906. W. CHALLENGER.

RESTRAINING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED IEB.6.1906.

same time it is desirable very heavy and heating and a great nuisance A Furthermore, the

uurrnn srxrns WILLIAM CHALLENGER. or NIAGARA FALLS,

ON E-HALF PATENirj OFFICE.

- 'R'ESTRAINING DEVICE-1 State of New York, useful Improvement in Restraining Devices, of which t e following is a specification.

lnsinvention relates torestraining dem hos vices of that sort employed principall pitals and asylums for forcibly ho ding in their beds patients who are temporaril or permanently demented, so as to prevent t em om doing violence to themselves or others.

Persons suffering from some diseases such, for example, as feversoften become temporarily demented and violent, and it is necessary to fasten them in bed, so that they cannot harm themselves or others. At the for the comfort of the patients to allow them all the freedom of movement that is com atible with safety, and not burden them with heavy and cumbersome fastenings which would tire and heat or excite the patients.

Restraining-sheets are often used for securing the patient in bed. These sheets are made of canvas or like strong material and practically cover the entire bed, being fastened to rails and end frames thereof by straps or other securing devices. The restralning-sheet is far from satisfactory. It is tened whenever it is necessary to change the bedclothing or bathe or otherwise treat or 'I examine the body of the patient, and especially in the case of fever it is necessary to bathe the patients at frequent intervals.

restrainin aflord complete safety, for 1t does not hold the arms and hands so that a strong and violent patient cannot injure himself or others. Other devices have been suggested which only cover a portion of the patient and are in this respect advantageous over the restr'aining-sheet; but these are generally unsafe, as arms and hands of the ipatient in such manner as to prevent him om unfastening the device, or the at least give him such freedom as to enable 'm to inure himself, and this is often the result. For

example, it frequently hap' ens that a violent patient having the free om of his hands I and arms will tear the bedclothing and'dis- Specification of-Letters Patent. Application filed February 6, 1906.

, quickly and easily plied to a person on a bed or cot.

sheet does not Iatentea Jury 24,1906. Borinllflo.299|835- iairrange bandages or even tear his throat and- 8411. l The primary object of'thisinve'ntion is to fort and fatigue, but is capable of bein applied and fastened an of securing the patient beyond the possibility 'of escape or in ury to himself or others, and which at the same time does not cover any considerable portion of the body and can be adjusted to allow more or less freedom of movement of body and limb. In the accompanying drawings, a perspective view of a restrainin bodying the invention,

Figure 1 is device emshowing t e same ap- Fig. 2 is a erspective view of the device removed, the eg-bands being detached. Like letters of reference refer to like parts in both figures.

The device comprises, essentially, a body band or belt which is secured about the body beneath the arms of the wearer, sleeves or arm-holders which are attached to the opposite sides of the belt and are ada ted to re-' ceive and hold the arms and ham s, securing straps or means attached to belt or sleeves in such manner that when fastened to the bed they will hold the sleeves and per arms at the sides,.and means for retainmg the device in proper position on the The device thus constructed is sufficient in the ordinary cases and leaves the ower limbs free and also allows some movement of the forearms. In addition to these parts the device is preferably provided with means for preventing the withdrawal of the arms from the sleeves and for securing the lower limbs and forearms; but these devices while sometimes necessary in extreme cases are not ordinarily needed and are not used.

A re resents the body band or belt, which is ma e of-some'strong flexible material such, for instance, as duck can be lined'with soft material or padded to make it more comfortable. The belt is worn around the chest beneath the armpits and is fastening means, such as eyelets" a, in the ends of the belt,

- adapted to be joined at the back of the wearer bya 1 le row of eyelets in each endof the belt enables the necessary adpinion the upor oanvas-which NEW YoRKj ASSIGNOR OF 'ro JAMES FORSYTH, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW' YORK.

justments of the same to fit different wearers.

or arm-holders, flexible material, The sleeves are wearer, The sleeves are long enough to cover the hands when the arms are extended at the sides and are provided at their lower ends with hand-holes or slits 0, through which an attendant can reach the hands and foreone end for arms of the wearer without removing the de-- vice when this is necessary for any reason.

as, for instance,'when it is desired to feel the patients pulse.

D represents sus enders or shoulder-straps which are attache to the back or ends (f the belt and are adapted to be crossed at the back andpassed over the shoulders and fastened to the front portion of the belt, as by buckles d, much in the same manner as ordinary suspenders are adjusted. The suspenders hold the device in proper position on the wearer and leave the throat and chest well exposed, so as not to bear thereon or interfere with bathing the throat, shoulders, and upper portion of the chest.

The securing means preferably employed in connection with thebelt consist of a strap securely attached in any suitable manner to the front of the belt with its opposite ends extending from opposite sides thereof over the sleeves or arm-holders C, to which the strap sitionthat when fastened to the bed-frame they will bear down on and pinion the upper arms of the wearer, while leaving the lower arms free for movement from the elbows. The securin strap shown has a buckle e at fastening its ends together under the bed-frame, as shown in Fig. 1; but any other suitable securing means attached so as to hold down the sleeves when fastened to the bed could be employed.

When the device as thus far described is adjusted and secured, as stated, and as indieated in Fig. 1, the wearer will be restrained in bed or getting out of from lifting the body the bed, and while e has considerable freedom of movement of the body and lower limbs and also of the forearms, yet his u per arms are inioned and he cannot free imself. Alt ough the forearms are notsecured, the hands are covered in the sleeves and cannotbe used in aharmful manner. The.

wearerv is thus effectually restrained; but the .device is not so uncomfortable as to fatigue on the or unreasonably irritate him, and most of the person is exposed, thus facilitating examinaftion and treatment. As the securing-strap E fis a'ttached to the, sleeves, the arms are firmly held withbutslight ressure of the belt breast, which is esirable especially is also preferably attached, in such po when used on Women. The device thus used and without additional securing means isample for the complete control of the ordinary run of cases; but as a safeguard when used with unusually strong or tricky 'patients the devices'now to be described can be employed.

F represents arni straps which encircle the sleeves or arm-holders C at points above the elbows of the wearer and have buckles for tightening them about the arms. These straps are held in place by suitable loops f, attached to the sleeves. By tightening these straps it is possible toprevent the arms from being drawn outof the sleeves or even moved lengthwise therein to any considerable extent. Straps G are also attached to the lower ends of the sleeves or armholders and are adapted to be fastened to the side rails of the bedstead to hold the forearms down, when this is necessary. Straps with buckles are shown for both securing the arms in the sleeves and securing the lower ends of the sleeves to the bed; but any other suitable securing devices could be us d.

When it is necessary to inion the le s, this is done by leg-bands H, which are buc led or otherwise secured around the legs and are provided with stra attachment to the edstead. The leg-bands are preferably adj ustably connected to ether by a cross-strap h and buckle if, an they are removably and adjustably attached to the body-band-for instance, by straps 6., secured t0 the leg-bands and buckles 'i, secured to the belt. The attaching-straps prevent the leg-bands from slipping down out of lace. When not needed, the leg-bands can he removed and the attaching-straps therefor unfastened from the belt.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a restraining device, the combination of a belt rovided with means for securing it around t e body beneath the arms, flexible sleeves attached to said belt having open upper ends and adapted to receive the arms, means for closing the lower ends of said sleeves, and means attached to said device and adapted to be secured to an object for restraining the person wearing the device, substantially asset forth.

2. In a restraining device, the combination of a belt rovided with means for securing it around the body beneath the arms, flexible sleeves attached to said belt and adapted to receive the arms and provided at their lower ends with openings and closing means therefor, and securing means extending from the upper end portions of said sleeves and ada te to be secured to an object to pinion t e arms in said sleeves, substantially as set forth.

3. In a restraining device, the combination s or other fastenings h for of a belt rovided with means for securingflit to an object to tached to said belt and extending therefrom over said sleeves and adapted to be secured pinion the arms, substantially as set forth.

4. In a restraining device, the combination of a belt rovided with means for securin it around t e bod beneath the arms, flexiIile sleeves attache to said belt and adapted to receive the arms, securing means extendin from said sleeves and adapted to be secure to an object to pinion the arms in said sleeves, and straps which are secured to the back and front ortions of said belt and ass over the shoul ers, substantially as set f rth.

5. In a restraining device, the combination of a belt rovided with means for secur" it around the bod beneath the arms, flexi le sleeves attached to receive the arms, securing means extendln from said sleeves and adapted to be secur v to an object to pinion the arms in said sleeves, and arm-straps encircling said sleeves and adapted to be tightened to prevent the withsaid belt and adapted to drawal of the arms, substantially as set forth.

6. In a restraining device, the combination of a belt rovided with means for sec it around tiie bod beneath. the arms, flexi 1e sleeves attache to said belt and adapted to receive the'arms, securing means extendi from said sleeves and adapted to be secur to an object to pinion the arms insaid sleeves, and means attached to the lower ends of said sleeves attache attached to said sleeves for fastening them to an object, substantially as set forth.

7. In a restraining device, the combination of a belt rovided with means forsecurin it around t e bod beneath the arms, flexible (I to said belt and adapted to receive the arms, securing means extendin from said sleeves and adapted to be secured to an object to pinion the arms insaid sleeves, leg-bands adapted to be secured about the legs and havin means for securing them to an object, an connections from said 1e bands to said belt, substantially as set forth.

8. In a restraining device, the combination of a'belt rovided with means for securing it around t e bod beneath the arms,flexible sleeves attache to said belt having lower ends provided with openings and means for closing the same, a securing-strap or the like belt and extending therefrom over said sleeves and adapted to be secured to an object, suspenders attachedto' said belt, and straps or the like attached to the lower ends of said sleeves for securing them to an object, substantially as set forth.

Witness my 1-906.

WILLIAM CHALLENGER.

hand this 2d day of February, 

